Spinal adjusting device



April 22, 1952 E. W STEVENS SPINAL ADJUSTING DEVICE Z SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed July 5, 1949 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY April 22, 1952 E. w. SYTEVENS 2,593,624

SPINAL ADJUSTING DEVICE Filed July 5, 1949 2 S HEETSSHEET 2 INVENTOR. 57 5 VE/VS EVA/V W. Y

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 22, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT 'GFFI'CE 2,593,624 SPINAL ADJUSTING DEVICE Evan W. Stevens, Kendall, Kane. Application Jilly 5, 1949, Serial No. 103',01'6

My invention relates to spinal adjusting devices, and more particularly. to such a device can be manipulated by the patient himself where- 'by to provide a means z'f'or self-treatmentof minor spinal ailments.

As is well known, the several segments or vertebrae forming the spinal column occasion ally beooxn'e misaligned. When this occurs, if it is not promptly remedied, themisaligned segment or vertebrae *will tend to become set in the misaligned position. However, treated promptly, the misaligned vertebrae'may be readily returned to its proper alignment with the spinal column whereby future ailments resulting from such misaligned vertebrae are avoided. Moreover,

prompt treatment heretofore could only be had at the hands of an experienced chiropractor or osteopath, which treatments are relatively expensive and frequently beyond the means of the sufierer.

With the foregoing in view, it is an object of my invention to provide an improved device for self-massaging and adjustment of the spinal column.

A further object is to provide a device such as that last described which comprises a pair of relatively movable frames, a pair of laterally movable spinal adjusting massaging elements carried by one of said frames, and means operative to move the massaging elements laterally towards each other to massage and adjust the spinal column upon movement of the other frame relative to the first mentioned frame.

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of the device, the structure of the several elements iorming the same, combinations and sub-combinations of such elements. all of which will be "readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the attached drawings :in' connection with the following speci- 11 Claims. (01. 1128*69) iteferring specifically to the drawings, wherein an operative concept of the invention has been disclosed and wherein like reference characters have been used throughout the several views to designate like parts, id designates generally a relatively movable frame and 2D designates generally a relatively fixed frame.

In the embodiment illustrated, the relatively movable frame it comprises a pair of laterally spaced slides H which are parallel to each other and have their rear ends connected together by a cross head iii. A relatively heavy striker or hammer I3 is fixed to the cross head l2 intermediate the slides H. 'The forward ends it of the slides I i may be connected together by a cross piece 15 which preferably has a pair of laterally spaced hand grips it formed thereon or attached thereto in any suitable manner. Obviously, the portion of the cross piece it intermediate the hand grips [B may be eliminated if desired. A pairof compressive springs l'l connect the cross piece 15 to a web 2! of the stationary frame 25 soasto load the movable frame iii to a rearwardh; retracted position relative to the stationary frame '25. best seen in Fig. 2, the frames it and 29 are adapted to encircle a torso ill, the spinal column of which is diagrammatically indicated at 1'9. Moreover, it should be understood that the irames Ill and 20 are made of lightweight mate- Ilal such as the lighter metallic alloys, and/0r plastic, whereby they may be readily supported by the user without making additional support 116085331?! The, relatively stationary frame 2% in the embodiment illustrated comp e a P of f wardly extending tubular guides 22 fixedly secured to opposite ends of the. web 2! whereby to provide a substantially u-shaped frame. While the guides 2-2 have been shown as being tubular, it is obvious that any other suitable slidable connection between the guides 22 and the slides H may be provided to operatively connect the frames ill and 20 together.

The web ll of the stationary frame 20 has iormed thereon or attached thereto in any suitable manner a forwardly directed sleeve 23 in which is slidablc a cam plunger 24. The back end of the plunger 24 is enlarged to provide a head 25 which is in alignment with the striker l3 as clearly s n in Fig. 2.. An expan iv prin 26 is interposed between the head 2-5 and the sleeve 23 whereby to load the plunger to a rearwardly retracted position- The f rward end of the cam plunger 24 extends forwardly of the sleeve'll-l and preferably is prov ded with a pa r of laterally outwardly and forwardly diverging cam arms 21.

A pair of massaging arms 28 are pivoted to the web 2| of the movable frame 2i) in any suitable manner on opposite sides of the sleeve 23. The forward ends of the arms 28 are vertically enlarged as at 29 and have any suitable massaging pads 30 secured thereto in any suitable manner. In the embodiment illustrated, the arms 28 each comprise a pair of vertically spaced plates connected together by a pair of longitudinally spaced cam followers 3! and 32 which straddle the cam arms 21 of the cam plunger 2%. As best seen in Fig. 2, it is obvious that forward movement of the plunger 24 causes the front edges of the cam arms 2! to engage the forward cam followers. 31 whereby the arms 28 are swung inwardly 110-2;

wards each other. If, when this occurs, the mas saging pads 30 are in engagement with the back of the torso I8 in equally spaced relation to the spinal column l9, it is obvious that the oppositely inward swinging movement of the arms 28 caused by the cam arms 2? will tend to force any laterally misaligned vertebrae back intoalignment. :Obviously, reverse relative movement of the frames will cause the back edges of the cam arms 2'! to engage the cam followers 32 whereby the arms 28 are once more spread apart to the Fig. 2 position. Also, it is preferable that the outer ends of the cam arms 21 be provided with some sort of stops 33 which are adapted to engage the arms 1 28 to limit lateral outward swinging movement of the latter and maintain the same in operative engagement with the cam arms 2?,

In operation, with the parts in the position of 4 connecting said guides together in the region of the rear ends thereof, a pair of slides, there being a slide slidable in each guide, each slide having a front and a rear end extending respectively forwardly and rearwardly of its guide, said front ends of said slides providing hand grips, tension springs connecting said hand grips and said web together so as to load said slides to rearward retracted positions, a tubular sleeve fixed to said between said guides in parallel relation therea plunger slidable in said sleeve, said plunger having a back end extending rearwardly of said sleeve and formed to provide a head, a plunger spring interposed between said head and sleeve loading said plunger rearwardly to a retracted'position, said plunger having a frontend 4 arms laterally inwardly uponrforward movement relatively great force on the hand grips 18, the 7 movable frame It! will be moved forwardly relative to the stationary frame 28 whereby the striker or hammer is engages the head 25 of the, cam plunger 24 and forces the cam plunger forwardly. At the same time, a slight forward movement will be imparted to the frame 20 by virtue of the relatively great inertia of the weight or striker l3. Thus, as the arms 28 are swung inwardly toward each other with a massaging action, they are also pressed forwardly with the frame 26. Thus','; th'e massaging action is a forward and lateral inward movement tending to press the vertebrae forwardly at the same time aligning them. Such alignment is accomplished by the vertical elongations 29 of the massaging arms 28' which tend to make the misaligned segments or vertebrae self-aligning with respect to those vertebrae already aligned.

While I have shown and described what is now thought to be a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of other forms and expressions. Consequently, I do not limit myself to the precise structure shown and described hereinabove except as hereinafter claimed. I claim: 1. A spinal massaging device, comprising a U-shaped frame including a pair of parallel tubular guides open at both ends and a web rigidly said plungen, a cross head connectingsaid ear ends of said slides together rearwardly of the web, a striker fixed to said cross head between said slides, and said striker being located to im- 2. A spinal massaging device, comprising a U- shaped frame including a pair of parallel guides and a web rigidly connecting said guides together in the region of the rear ends thereof, a pair of lides carried by said respective guides for sliding movement longitudinally thereof, a cross head connecting said slides together rearwardly of said web, spring means engaging said frame and operatively connected to said slides so as to load the latter to a rearwardly retracted position, a tubular sleeve fixed to said web between said guides in parallel relation thereto, a plunger slidable in sleeve, said plunger having a back end extending rearwardly of said sleeve and formed to provide a head,,a plunger spring interposed between said head and sleeve and loading said plunger rearwardly. to aretraoted position, said plunger having a front end formed to provide a pair of forwardly and laterally directed cam arms,-= a pair of forwardly. extending massaging arms pivoted to said web, therebeing a massaging arm on each side of. said sleeve, said massaging arms having front ;ends,.massaging pads on said front ends of said massaging arms, said massaging arms each having a pair of spaced anti-friction'cam followers straddling a cam arm whereby to swing said massaging arms laterally inwardly upon forward movement of said plungen-astriker fixed to said cross head between said slides, and said striker being locatedto'impact said lunger and move the same and said frame forwardly upon forwardimovement of said slides and cross head relative: to said guides and'web.

3. A spinal massaging device, comprising a U- shaped frame including a pair of parallel guides and a web rigidly-connecting said guides together in the region of the rear ends thereof, 'a pair of slides carried by said respective guides for sliding movement longitudinally thereof, a cross head connecting said slides together rearwardly of said web, spring means engaging said frame and operatively connected to said slides so as to load the latter to a rearwardly retracted position, a pair of forwardly extending massaging arms pivoted to said web in laterally spaced relation, a cam, means mounting said cam on said web between Said arms for forward and rearward sliding movement, spring means loading said cam to a rearwardly retracted position, cam followers operatively coupling said cam to said arms whereby to swing the latter inwardly upon forward movement of said cam, striker means fixed to said cross head in alignment with said cam so as to strike the latter and move the same and said frame forwardly upon forward movement of said slides relative to said frame, and means operatively connected to said slides whereby they may be actuated forwardly relative to said frame.

4. A spinal massaging device, comprising a U- shaped frame including a pair of parallel guides and a web rigidly connecting said guides together in the region of the rear ends thereof, a pair of slides carried by said respective guides for sliding movement longitudinally thereof, a cross head connecting said slides together rearwardly of said web, spring means engaging said frame and operatively connected to said slides so as to load the latter to a rearwardly retracted position, a pair of forwardly extending massaging arms pivoted to said web in laterally spaced relation, constantly interengaging means in part carried by said cross head and in part by said respective arms and operable to swing said arms laterally in opposite directions upon forward movement of said slides relative to said frame, and hand-grip incorporating means for actuating said slides.

5. A spinal massaging device comprising a pair of torso receiving frames, said frames comprising laterally spaced slidably interengaging guide portions at each side, cross members connecting the respective guide portions of said frames adjacent the rear ends of the latter, a pair of laterally spaced spinal massaging arms pivoted to the cross member of one of said frames between its guide portions and for swinging movement in a plane parallel therewith, arm operating means f operatively connected to said massaging arms and carried by said last mentioned frame, actuating means for said arm operating means and carried by the cross member of said other frame, and said actuating means and operating means positioned to interengage upon relative. movement of said frames in one direction.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 and said arm operating means comprising a plunger slidably carried by the cross member of the armcarrying frame, and arm control means operatively connected to said plunger and said arms.

7. The combination set forth in claim 5 and said arm operating means comprising a plunger slidably carried by the cross member of the armcarrying frame, arm control means operatively 6 connected to said plunger and said arms, and said actuating means comprising a striker carried by the cross member of said second mentioned frame.

8. The combination set forth in claim 5 and said arm operating means comprising a plunger slidably carried by the cross member of the armcarrying frame, arm control means operatively connected to said plunger and said arms, said actuating means comprising a striker carried by the cross member of said second mentioned frame, and yielding means normally urging the second mentioned frame rearwardly to maintain said striker out of engagement with said plunger.

9. The combination set forth in claim 5, and hand grip-including actuating means for said second mentioned frame and carried by its guide portions adjacent the ends thereof remote from its cross member.

10. The combination set forth in claim 5, and said arm operating means comprising a plunger slidably carried by the cross member of the armcarrying frame, arm control means operatively connected to said plunger and said arms, said actuating means comprising a striker carried by the cross member of said second mentioned frame, and hand grip-including actuating means for said second mentioned frame and carried by its guide portions adjacent the ends thereof remote from its cross member.

11. The combination set forth in claim 5, and said arm operating means comprising a plunger slidably carried by the cross member of the armcarrying frame, arm control means operatively connected to said plunger and said arms, said actuating means comprising a striker carried by the cross member of said second mentioned frame, yielding means normally urging the second mentioned frame rearwardly to maintain said striker out of engagement with said plunger, and hand grip including actuating means for said second mentioned frame and carried by its guide portions adjacent the ends thereof remote from its cross member.

EVAN W. STEVENS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,134,181 Bump Apr. .6, 1915 1,612,899 Ahlgren Jan. 4, 1927 2,447,698 Haberer Aug. 24, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 303,153 Germany Jan. 24, 1918 303,155 Germany Jan. 24, 1918 

